Reader call: Muffin recipes

Maria writes:

"My son is on a muffin kick, and I'd like to take the opportunity to sneak extra veggies into him.  I was poking around your archives, and I noticed this is a popular technique!  I was wondering if you could ask your readers to contribute muffin recipes that they've made and their kids have enjoyed."

Here's my mom's recipe for oatmeal muffins. When she makes them she puts a spoonful of jam in each one before baking it, but I add shredded carrots to the batter instead. I'll bet you could add shredded zucchini instead of carrots.

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk (to make sour milk, pour almost a cup of regular milk and add 1 tablespoon cider vinegar)
1 egg, beaten
(1/2 cup grated carrots or zucchini, optional)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil or melted butter
1 cup sifted unbleached or whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
(jam of your choice, optional, if you're not using vegetables)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the oatmeal and the milk. Mix in the egg, and the grated vegetables if you're using them). Add the sugar and the oil and mix well. Sift the dry ingredients together and stir into the wet ones, just to moisten. Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way full. If you're using jam, drop a spoonful onto the top of each muffin batter in the tin. Bake for 20 minutes. Makes 12.

Everyone else? Let's hear them, please.

Comments

[Julie]

This is from Kim O'Donnel's blog at the Washington Post http://blog.washingtonpost.com/mighty-appetite/2006/10/happy_halloween_pumpkin.html

I made them last week and they are quite tasty!

Pumpkin-Raisin Muffins
Based on a recipe for sweet potato muffins from "Best Foods Cookbook" by Dana Jacobi

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup light olive oil or canola oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup plain yogurt (I used non-fat, but I think low or full fat is fine, too)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas)

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or oil spray or place paper liners in cups.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. In another bowl, whisk together oil, sugar and egg. Mix in yogurt and vanilla. Stir in pumpkin puree until mixture is smooth. Fold in raisins.

Incorporate wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients, and mix just until blended. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling them to the top. Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds over the top of each muffin.

Bake about 25 minutes, until muffins are lightly colored and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then unmold from pan and allow to cool completely.

Recipe may be doubled.

Note: If you're keen to try this muffin with sweet potatoes, you'll need ½ cup of roasted, mashed sweet potato and ¾ cup shredded carrots. Omit the pumpkin puree.

[Kim-Anh]

Here is a great-tasting recipe for Banana Oatmeal Muffins - feel free to add flax meal, nuts, or dried fruit (like cranberries) to it as well.

Dry mix - To make, combine:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

This dry mix is great to make ahead and store. When you're ready to make muffins, mix together:

1 egg
2 cups mashed bananas
1/3 cups melted butter

Then, combine wet and dry ingredients. Bake for 20 minutes at 375F.

[Kim-Anh]

Cookie Magazine always has a great section called "Sneak It In" - their online archives include ways to sneak in squash, spinash, lentils, and whole wheat.

http://www.cookiemag.com/food/sneakitin/subindex_20061031sneak

Here is one of their Sneak It In recipes for chocolate zucchini muffins - haven't tried it but it sure looks good!

Deborah Snyder's Chocolate Zucchini Mini-Muffins
makes three dozen muffins

2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup canola or vegetable oil
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
2¼ cups shredded zucchini
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
Zest (finely grated) and juice of 1 orange
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
8 ounces Neufchâtel or cream cheese, at room temperature
3 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1  Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 3 mini-muffin tins with nonfat cooking spray.

2  In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each, then add the buttermilk or yogurt. Whisk in the zucchini, lemon zest, and half the orange zest.

3  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, whisking to aerate. Stir half the flour mixture into the egg mixture, then the other half. Fold in the nuts (if using) and distribute the batter evenly into the muffin tins.

4  Bake on the center rack until springy but firm to the touch and lightly browned around the edges, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely.

5  To make the icing, blend the cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor until they are well combined and no lumps remain. Add the confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and the remaining vanilla and orange zest, and process until smooth.

6  Ice the muffins with a knife (or forgo the icing if you'd like to convert these muffins from an after-dinner treat to a healthy breakfast). Serve the same day or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Tip: To keep squash fresh for as long as possible, handle it carefully to avoid bruising, and don't wash it until just before use. If stored in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator, it should keep for 4 to 5 days.

Source: http://www.cookiemag.com/food/sneakitin/2006/09/sneaksquash?currentPage=4

[M]

Quinoa muffins - the quinoa flour is pricey, but worth it. Quinoa is a great protein and kids tend to love it.

1 C cooked or 1/2 C raw quinoa
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 C quinoa flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 C oil or melted butter
1 1/4 C yogurt or buttermilk
1 t vanilla
Optional: 1/2 C corn, grated carrots, zucchini,

Preheat oven to 375, spray or oil muffin tins.
If cooking quinoa, rinse it well, put it in a small saucepan with 1 C water, and bring it to a boil. Simmer, covered (as with rice), until water is absorbed, about 15 mins. Drain, if needed.

Combine flours, salt, soda, and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat egg with oil, yogurt and vanilla, then stir wet ing. into the dry. Add the cooked quinoa and optional ingredient and mix well. Scoop into muffin tins and bake until firm and light on top, about 30 mins. Make about a dozen muffins.

[Much More Than A Mom]

Lunchbox Muffins
(I make these for my husbands lunch, my 'recess snacks' and always send the recipe home with the students in my class each September - they're awesome!)

1½ cups semi-frozen broccoli, finely chopped
1½ cups cooked ham, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
6 eggs (or 10 egg whites)
½ cup canola oil
1¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. parsley
½ tsp. thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
Other herbs & spices to taste (I use way more of everything!)

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, ham, onion & cheese. In another bowl, beat eggs & blend in oil. Add dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Stir in broccoli mixture until just blended. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake 20-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or cold. Makes 12 large muffins.

Substitute pepperoni for ham and peppers for broccoli to make pizza muffins (oregano and italian seasoning go well). Delicious served with pizza sauce for dipping.

http://www.muchmorethanamom.com/?p=189

[Robin]

Eating Well has awesome recipes for Pineapple Upside Down Muffins:
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/pineapple_muffin.html

and Savory Breakfast Muffins:
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/savory_breakfast_muffin.html

I use turkey bacon instead of ham in the breakfast muffins. They have scallions and red peppers in them and I bet you could add pretty much any vegetable.

The Pineapple muffins have carrots and raisins and oatmeal. You could omit the brown sugar from the topping and replace the nuts with ground flax seed for a nutty, kid-friendly muffin.

[Hilary]

I call these my quest muffins, because I was on a quest to replicate a delicious savory veggie muffin I had at a health food store in Atlanta more than ten years ago. I finally think I got close enough that I don't long for that other muffin any more. And all threee kids in the house (ages 2,3 and 7) and my junk food lovin' husband all enjoy them, too.

Ingredient explanation: broccoli slaw is commonly available in the produce section of my regular grocery store. It is bagged, raw, and shredded broccoli, carrot and cabbage.

Quest veggie muffins
Makes 24 muffins

3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 T baking powder
2 t salt
½ t cayenne pepper
¼ t black pepper
1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 bag (12 oz) broccoli slaw (or 1 ½ cups shredded veggies of your choice)
2 ½ cups milk
6 T unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 ½ cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat 12-cup muffin tins with nonstick spray

2. Blanch broccoli slaw. One method: Boil water in a medium saucepan. Submerge veggies into boiling water for one minute. Strain and submerge in an ice bath or run under cold running water. Set aside in a colander to dry out.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne and pepper together in a large bowl. Mix in cheese and veggies, breaking up any chunks, until cheese and veggies are coated with flour. Whisk milk, butter, egg, and sour cream together in medium bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (batter will be heavy and thick). Divide batter among muffin cups. Sprinkle Parmesan over batter in each cup.

4. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool before eating.

[Amy F]

I made these squash muffins last night--

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spiced-Butternut-Squash-Muffins/Detail.aspx

[coach purses]

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.

[yiwu agent]

Nice sharing!thanks for your information!i am glad to come back again next time.And this ui of the blog is very clean,it makes me comfortable,i will also introduce my friends to use it.Thank you.

[Air Jordan shoes]

Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.

[Air Jordan shoes]

Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.

[Air Jordan shoes]

Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.

[Air Jordan shoes]

Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.

[Jordan Big Fund]

Love,love love this post!O(∩_∩)O~

[Jordan Big Fund]

LO LO LO LO.....Has been very quiet, to give you love has been very quiet, you say you love like a cloud, to float freely until beautiful.....

[abercrombie deutschland]

Um nicht in das mehr als oft nicht zu verstehen sein, bin ich geneigt, wie Beiträge zu diesem Thema schrittweise zusätzliche betrachten, Sie schreiben es in der Mode weiterhin Ihre persönlichen Mittel, wir müssen wirklich dont sagen ist wirklich ein schönes veröffentlichen jener zu erinnern.

[abercrombie deutschland]

Sehr gute Website, kann ich von den anderen sachkundigen Menschen, die die gleiche Interessen Vorschlag. Ihre Website gesamte Erscheinungsbild ist groß, nicht um den Inhalt zu nennen. Ich glaube, Sie haben bereits eine beachtliche Gruppe von Leserinnen und Leser!